A history of the Hasmonean state : Josephus and beyond / Kenneth Atkinson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Atkinson, Kenneth, 1960- author.

Series:

Jewish and Christian texts in contexts and related studies ; v. 23.

Jewish and Christian texts in contexts and related studies

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Maccabees--History.

Maccabees.

Jews--History--168 B.C.-135 A.D.

Jews.

History.

Judaea (Region)--History.

Judaea (Region).

Physical Description:

ix, 210 pages ; 25 cm.

Other Title:

Josephus and beyond

Place of Publication:

London ; Oxford ; New Delhi ; New York ; Sydney : Bloomsbury T&T Clark, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2016.

Summary:

"Kenneth Atkinson tells the exciting story of the nine decades of the Hasmonean rule of Judea (152 - 63 BCE) by going beyond the accounts of the Hasmoneans in Josephus in order to bring together new evidence to reconstruct how the Hasmonean family transformed their kingdom into a state that lasted until the arrival of the Romans. Atkinson reconstructs the relationships between the Hasmonean state and the rulers of the Seleucid and the Ptolemaic Empires, the Itureans, the Nabateans, the Parthians, the Armenians, the Cappadocians, and the Roman Republic. He draws on a variety of previously unused sources, including papyrological documentation, inscriptions, archaeological evidence, numismatics, Dead Sea Scrolls, pseudepigrapha, and textual sources from the Hellenistic to the Byzantine periods. Atkinson also explores how Josephus's political and social situation in Flavian Rome affected his accounts of the Hasmoneans and why any study of the Hasmonean state must go beyond Josephus to gain a full appreciation of this unique historical period that shaped Second Temple Judaism, and created the conditions for the rise of the Herodian dynasty and the emergence of Christianity." -- Back cover.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Introduction 1

Preceding Studies 2

Josephus the Historian and His Works 4

Josephus and His Methods of Writing History 17

Chapter 2 The Creation of the Hasmonean State 23

The Hasmonean Family: Their Background 23

The Hasmonean Revolt against the Seleucids 26

The Creation of the Hasmonean State 32

Simon's Military Conquests and the Early Expansion of the Hasmonean State 45

Chapter 3 John Hyrcanus: His Role During Simon's Reign and His Consolidation of Political and Secular Powers 47

His Family Background 47

Hyrcanus as High Priest and Political Ruler 49

Problems and Sources for Reconstructing the Reign of Hyrcanus 51

The Siege of Dok 53

The Siege of Jerusalem by Antiochus VII Sidetes 55

Diplomatic Relations between the Roman Republic and the Hasmonean State 59

The Parthian Campaign of Antiochus VII Sidetes 62

Chronological Inconsistencies in the Writings of Josephus 67

The Samaritans 69

Conclusion 78

Chapter 4 Judah Aristobulus: The Creation of the Hasmonean Monarchy 80

His Family and His Royal Title 80

The Succession Process 81

The Wife of Aristobulus: Salina or Salome/Shelamzion? 85

Aristobulus and the Itureans 86

The Physical Decline of Aristobulus 97

The Death of Aristobulus 98

Chapter 5 Alexander Jannaeus: A Period of Conquest and Expansion 100

Alexander Jannaeus in the Works of Josephus 100

The Name and Title of Jannaeus: Texts and Numismatics 101

The Beginning of His Reign 104

The Succession of Jannaeus 107

The Siege of Ptolemais 108

The War of Scepters Reaches Judea 115

Jannaeus's Wars of Expansion: Chronological Problems 117

The Siege of Gaza 119

Chronological Problems with the Transjordan Campaign of Jannaeus 121

Internal Opposition to Jannaeus 123

The Invasion of Demetrius III 125

The Invasion of Antiochus XII Dionysus 127

Further Victories in the Transjordan 130

The Final Years of Alexander Jannaeus 132

Chapter 6 Shelamzion Alexandra: A Hasmonean Golden Age 134

Her Name and Family Background 134

Alexandra and the Rise of the Pharisees 135

Alexandra's Preparation for the Monarchy 138

Political and Religious Strife during the Reign of Alexandra 139

The Damascus Campaign of Alexandra 140

Lucuilus and Tigranes: The Impact of their Fighting for Understanding the Reign of Alexandra 141

The Final Days of Alexandra 144

Chapter 7 Pompey and the Hasmoneans: Hyrcanus II, Aristobulus II, and the End of the Hasmonean State 146

The Brief Reign of Hyrcanus II 146

The Arrival of the Romans 149

The 63 B.C.E. Roman Siege of Jerusalem 156

Chapter 8 After the Roman Conquest 158

Judea after the Departure of Pompey 158

The Final Hasmonean Revolt against Roman Rule and the Roman Civil Wars 160

Chapter 9 Conclusion: Josephus, Rome, and the Hasmonean History 166

Stasis in Josephus's Books: Their Impact on His Accounts of the Hasmonean State 166

Personalities and Roman Supremacy in Josephus's Books 167

Roman Doubts Concerning Jewish Loyalty: The Parthians and the Hasmoneans 172

The Accuracy of Josephus's Accounts of the Hasmonean State 177

The Hasmonean State and the Seleucid Empire 178.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 180-199) and indexes.

ISBN:

9780567669025

0567669025

OCLC:

949219870